{The Weekend Update} 5.28.16 - Happy Memorial Day Weekend!!!

So, since my end-of-the-week post isn't just about what I got in my mailbox or on my Kindle each week -- though that is a big part of it, I won't lie -- I decided to change up the title and intro a bit.  I might tweak the format a bit over the next few weeks, but for the most part, it'll contain the same stuff: stuff I got, stuff I did, and stuff that's coming up on the blog.  Plus, I get to use the awesome GIF you see here and blow kisses to all the people who sent me lovely books and bookish things.  Oh, and I've started linking up to Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga's Reviews since I'm not using a specific meme title anymore.  April's also doing her own Stacking the Shelves posts on Sundays.  Stop by and say hi!  =)

Man, I thought the weekend would never get here! Course, that's how it always goes when you're waiting on vacation. :) And I have a  five-day weekend! I mostly took off because Katie's last day of school is on Wednesday, but she only has partial days both days because of Field Day and the awards assembly, so I didn't want to leave her stuck at school or daycare all day when she didn't have to be. Plus, I'll take any excuse not to have to go to work these days, lol.

My brother-in-law's neighborhood does this huge block party every year for Memorial Day, complete with a volleyball tournament, corn hole, brisket cook-off and water slides for the kiddos, so that's where I'll be chillin' all day tomorrow. I just hope we don't get rained out. It's been raining off and on all week with no end in sight. :(

Okay, okay. On to the books. Here's what I scored this week...

From Publishers:



From Tor/Forge:
738 Days by Stacey Kade - this isn't my typical read, but I am so excited to start this book

Traded:



The Reader by Traci Chee and The Forgetting by Sharon Cameron - what a GREAT trade, right?!? I can't wait to read BOTH of these!!!

New #booksfortrade | Have You Seen This? post coming soon with some new books up for grabs! I'm still looking for a few high profile ARCs, like Throne of Glass, The Near Witch, and Scarlet (Gaughen), plus some other 2016 releases.

Freebies:



Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone - via SYNC
Egg & Spoon by Gregory Maguire - via SYNC

Gifted:



My amazing co-blogger and friend April knew I was on the fence about this book because I said as much when I saw her listening to it, so she decided to make the decision for me and gifted me a copy. Isn't she the sweetest?!?

Purchased:



I've been anticipating this book since I finished The Infinite Sea. I wish I could say it was everything I'd hoped it would be, but I have to admit I'm a little disappointed. I don't even know if I can review it...

Library:



I made the mistake of starting this series when I was between audiobooks and now I can't quit it. It's rather addictive. Though, I would prefer a different narrator for Katy. Justine Eyre is one of my least favorites EVAR, but she doesn't have to do any accents in this series, so it's a little more tolerable than others I've heard her perform.


So, that's my haul. =) What fabulous bookmail did you get this week?

The Week in Review:

Reviews:

• Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies

Current Giveaways:

Check back soon!

Promotional/Discussion Posts:

• #WoW - A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Scwab
• SYNC Summer 2016: Week 4 | #AudiobookSYNC16

Currently Reading:

I'm just starting this one, but as I said above, I'm super intrigued by that premise. I usually stay away from "issues" books, but I'm hoping this one is worth the pain. :)




Currently Listening:

I love Morgan Matson. But for some reason, I've been hesitant to pick this one up. But April, my lovely co-blogger extraordinaire, bought me a copy and it was the equivalent of the GIF below. So, I think we're going to review it together once we're both finished. Cause that's usually what we do with MM's books. :D




Upcoming Reviews:

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ROCKS FALL, EVERYONE DIES is Really Off the Beaten Path

Title: Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies
Author: Lindsay Ribar
Series: stand-alone
Publisher: Kathy Dawson Books
Publication Date: June 7, 2016
Source: ARC received from publisher
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Twin Peaks meets Stars Hollow in this paranormal suspense novel about a boy who can reach inside people and steal their innermost things—fears, memories, scars, even love—and his family’s secret ritual that for centuries has kept the cliff above their small town from collapsing.

Aspen Quick has never really worried about how he’s affecting people when he steals from them. But this summer he’ll discover just how strong the Quick family magic is—and how far they’ll go to keep their secrets safe.

With a smart, arrogant protagonist, a sinister family tradition, and an ending you won’t see coming, this is a fast-paced, twisty story about power, addiction, and deciding what kind of person you want to be, in a family that has the ability to control everything you are.

Weird and different and weirdly different. That about sums up this book. It's quirky AF, but perfect for a reader like me who's pretty much read it all and ready for an odd little novel like this. Also, to be fair, I would consider it more magical realism than outright paranormal. And for most readers, it probably will seem suspenseful, but with regards to that "ending you won't see coming"...I totally did. Way, way, way before I was supposed to...and yet it didn't hinder my enjoyment of the story one bit. Probably because it didn't make the story predictable; I simply understood something early on that made everything else make a whole lot more sense.

This book is really off the beaten path. It started off slow but as my theory came to fruition, I couldn't put the book down. The protagonist is from a family of thieves, but what they steal will never be missed. The family justifies their theft of feelings and personality traits by using their gift to protect the town from the cliff that looms above them. And that suits Aspen fine until he meets a townie who makes him question the truth about his family and his cousin's tragic death months earlier.

Aspen is kind of a prick when the story begins, every bit the "smart, arrogant protagonist" he's described as in the summary, and he remains such for the better part of the book. He doesn't know the people making the sacrifices for the greater good, and so he shrugs off any guilt he might feel. He's very talented, too, but he doesn't just use his gift with respect to the cliff. He's but a mere visitor to Three Peaks, but he's been using the gift all his life: on his friends, to get out of trouble, even to sober up after a night of drinking. But never on family.

When using the gift on the love of his life starts to have repercussions, Aspen has to reevaluate his actions. Especially when he realizes that someone he trusted has been using their gift on him...all his life. He goes through a crisis of conscience, worrying about the people he's changed and his own free will and who he might have been, had his own personality not been altered. And I've got to admit, the drastic change in his demeanor endeared him to me.

Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies is a clever and introspective look at free will and sacrifice and family. It's not for everybody and it doesn't wrap up perfectly, but it does end on a hopeful note. If you like shrewdly different stories, this book might be up your alley...or take you down the path less traveled. (Watch out for falling rocks!) Either way, it's an excellent read.

GIF it to me straight:

About the author:

Lindsay Ribar lives in New York City, where she works in book publishing by day and writes YA novels by night. She attends far too many concerts, watches far too much nerdy TV, and consumes fanfiction like it's made out of chocolate. She is fond of wine, cheese, and countries where they speak English but with really cool accents. Oh, and she has a Harry Potter tattoo.

Find Lindsay:

Twitter | Goodreads | Tumblr

SYNC Summer 2016: Week 4 #AudiobookSYNC16

Man, I can't believe it's almost the end of May! The kids are [almost] out of school, and summer will soon be upon us. You know what that means! SYNC recently announced the list of audiobook pairings up for grabs this summer, and today kicks off week four of the program for 2016. Here's what you can grab through Wednesday of next week...for free!

This week's YA title is Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone, performed by Amy Rubinate for Ideal Audiobooks.

If you could read my mind, you wouldn't be smiling.

Samantha McAllister looks just like the rest of the popular girls in her junior class. But hidden beneath the straightened hair and expertly applied makeup is a secret that her friends would never understand: Sam has Purely-Obsessional OCD and is consumed by a stream of dark thoughts and worries that she can't turn off.

Second-guessing every move, thought, and word makes daily life a struggle, and it doesn't help that her lifelong friends will turn toxic at the first sign of a wrong outfit, wrong lunch, or wrong crush. Yet Sam knows she'd be truly crazy to leave the protection of the most popular girls in school. So when Sam meets Caroline, she has to keep her new friend with a refreshing sense of humor and no style a secret, right up there with Sam's weekly visits to her psychiatrist.

Caroline introduces Sam to Poet's Corner, a hidden room and a tight-knit group of misfits who have been ignored by the school at large. Sam is drawn to them immediately, especially a guitar-playing guy with a talent for verse, and starts to discover a whole new side of herself. Slowly, she begins to feel more "normal" than she ever has as part of the popular crowd . . . until she finds a new reason to question her sanity and all she holds dear.

This week's classic title is Egg & Spoon by Gregory Maguire, performed by Michael Page for Brilliance Audio.

A fantasy set in Tsarist Russia.

Elena Rudina lives in the impoverished Russian countryside. Her father has been dead for years. One of her brothers has been conscripted into the Tsar’s army, the other taken as a servant in the house of the local landowner. Her mother is dying, slowly, in their tiny cabin. And there is no food. But then a train arrives in the village, a train carrying untold wealth, a cornucopia of food, and a noble family destined to visit the Tsar in Saint Petersburg — a family that includes Ekaterina, a girl of Elena’s age. When the two girls’ lives collide, an adventure is set in motion, an escapade that includes mistaken identity, a monk locked in a tower, a prince traveling incognito, and — in a starring role only Gregory Maguire could have conjured — Baba Yaga, witch of Russian folklore, in her ambulatory house perched on chicken legs

I loved Every Last Word when I listened to it last year...and now that it's available from SYNC, I'm itching for a re-listen! You can check out my review here. I've never read anything by Gregory Maguire, and I think this is a MG novel, but I do love some Tsarist Russia. :)

Will you be picking up either of these titles? Remember, they're only available through Wednesday, and new titles will be put up on Thursday for download. To download this week's titles, just click here to be taken to the SYNC download page.

I hope you take advantage of this program. I've been doing it for the last several years, and I've had the opportunity to listen to a ton of great audio for free.  If you've never tried audiobooks before, it's a great opportunity to do so without the obligation of buying one that you might not enjoy.  And if you love audiobooks, well, it's a great time to stock up on some titles you may have missed or discover new ones.  Win/win.  =)

Happy listening!

{WOW} A CONJURING OF LIGHT by V.E. Schwab

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's WoW selection is...








's Pick:



Title: A Conjuring of Light
Author: V.E. Schwab
Series: Shades of Magic, book #3
Publisher: Tor Books
Publication Date: February 21, 2017

The battle between four magical Londons comes to a head in this stunning finale to the New York Times bestselling Shades of Magic trilogy by rising star V. E. Schwab

Londons fall and kingdoms rise while darkness sweeps the Maresh Empire—and the fraught balance of magic blossoms into dangerous territory while heroes and foes struggle alike. The direct sequel to A Gathering of Shadows, and the final book in the Shades of Magic epic fantasy series, A Conjuring of Light sees Schwab reach a thrilling culmination concerning the fate of beloved protagonists—and old enemies.

"Addictive and immersive, A Gathering of Shadows cements this series as a must-read. Rich details illuminate every dimension of an extravagant city flooded with magic, and intriguing personalities evolve into complex characters. ...Schwab already has us anticipating the rest of the series."—Entertainment Weekly

"[A Darker Shade of Magic] feels like a priceless object, brought from another, better world of fantasy books. Schwab's writing is engaging and vivid...kept me engrossed by its story every bit as much as I was fascinated by its complex, multilayered world."—io9.com

"Has all the hallmarks of a classic work of fantasy...Schwab has given us a gem of a tale. This is a book to treasure."—Deborah Harkness, New York Times bestselling author of The All Souls trilogy on A Darker Shade of Magic

OMG, I think this is my favorite cover of them all. I've loved each one, but this is by far the BEST. And it's just perfect for this final book. I can't even believe I'm saying that...that this series has almost come to a close. Like, what even? How is that possible? These characters are supposed to carry on with their magic and shenanigans till the end of time, providing me with endless entertainment! But at least if it has to end, it's going out with one helluva cover! =D =D =D

What are you desperately waiting for this Wednesday? Let us know in the comments or share a link to your own WoW post!

{The Weekend Update} 5.21.16

So, since my end-of-the-week post isn't just about what I got in my mailbox or on my Kindle each week -- though that is a big part of it, I won't lie -- I decided to change up the title and intro a bit.  I might tweak the format a bit over the next few weeks, but for the most part, it'll contain the same stuff: stuff I got, stuff I did, and stuff that's coming up on the blog.  Plus, I get to use the awesome GIF you see here and blow kisses to all the people who sent me lovely books and bookish things.  Oh, and I've started linking up to Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga's Reviews since I'm not using a specific meme title anymore.  April's also doing her own Stacking the Shelves posts on Sundays.  Stop by and say hi!  =)

Yesterday was supposed to be Katie's Field Day, but there was a water main break, and we live in a small town so that affects everyone, so they had to cancel school for the whole district, effectively cancelling Field Day, too. It's rescheduled for next week, though. But since we had a free day, my friend and I took our girls to the Dallas Zoo, which turned out to be the best idea ever. Katie posed with the penguins -- or rather they posed with her -- and she got to feed the giraffes, which was really cool. And a lot more fun than running relays! :D



Okay, okay. On to the books. Here's what I scored this week...

From Publishers:



From Penguin:
Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies by Lindsay Ribar



From Disney:
Sea Spell by Jennifer Donnelly

Traded:

New #booksfortrade | Have You Seen This? post! I'm still looking for a few high profile ARCs, like Throne of Glass, The Near Witch, and Scarlet (Gaughen), plus some other 2016 releases. Also, if anyone has an extra of Caraval, you can have whatever you want from my trade stacks. Anything. Just sayin'...

Freebies:



100 Sideways Miles by Andrew Smith - via SYNC

Gifted:



I do not deserve you, Sabrina, but I love and appreciate you all the same! Thank you sooo much for surprising me with these for my library! You are the absolute best!!! =D

Library:

I HAVE LIBRARY AGAIN!!!!!!!!



And here's what I procured on my first foray into their online shelves:



I finally found an audio copy of Megan Whalen Turner's The Thief!!!! But my library only has the 4th book on audio after this. I recommended they get the other two, but that could be awhile, so I'm sure I'll end up grabbing the ebooks for the next two VERRUH soon. :) A Torch Against the Night is winging its way to me, so I'm going to re-read the first book via audio in preparation. I can't freaking wait, though. I had an ARC -- and a finished copy, too! -- of The Forbidden Orchid, but there was some drama and I stepped back, not wanting that to taint how I felt about the book on its own. Maybe the audio will help? I still need to re-read (via audio, but of course) Exquisite Captive, but I saw Blood Passage available and couldn't help myself. I grabbed Crimson Bound on a whim...mostly because I really want to read Bright Smoke, Cold Fire now but that would be irresponsible considering all of the other review books that come before it. (I'll still probably read it very soon because I have ZERO self control.)


So, that's my haul. =) What fabulous bookmail did you get this week?

The Week in Review:

Reviews:

• Outrun the Moon
• My Lady Jane

Current Giveaways:

Check back soon!

Promotional/Discussion Posts:

• #WoW - Starfall by Susan Dennard
• SYNC Summer 2016: Week 3 | #AudiobookSYNC16

Currently Reading:

I'm not very far into this one yet, but it's very different. And I like different. And so far, I like this book. I can't wait to discover more about the magic and the significance of the cliff to the town and the main character's family.




Currently Listening:

As I said above, I'm dying to get to my galley of Bright Smoke, Cold Fire but I'm trying to be responsible and read some review books that release soon. But it's hard. So, I borrowed this audio from the library and hope that it tides me over for a bit. I'll probably end up DLing Cruel Beauty soon, too.





Upcoming Reviews:

Like honest reviews & giveaways?  Be sure to follow us on Bloglovin' so you never miss out!

Like pretty pictures of books and bookish things? Follow me on Instagram! I also host IG giveaways from time to time. :D

Subscribe by email: